


Don’t Look Back but Don’t Forget Us Either

by gay_ships_on_road_trips



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Sburb/Sgrub Sessions, Body Horror, Depression, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, Gore, Heinoustuck - Freeform, Multi, Murder, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, Pale-Caliginous Vacillation, Parental Abuse, Patricide, Quadrant Confusion, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicidal actions, Unresolved Romantic Tension, i hope you guys enjoy, i write this while drinking three cans of mountain dew, its pretty fucking dark, john and vriska are the main characters, no hate on dadbert he’s just for plot, not beta’d We die like men, nsfw (kinda?)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:53:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24917884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_ships_on_road_trips/pseuds/gay_ships_on_road_trips
Summary: heinoustuck vriska and john. they both are on their birthdays when the fateful day comes.with advice from outside sources, they get a brilliant idea - abandon everything they’ve ever known and start over on a meteor with only the two.turns out it’s harder than it looks to keep yourself sane when you abandon the entirety of your species to live with an alien you can’t even talk to.
Relationships: Dave Strider/John Egbert, Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas, Gamzee Makara/Tavros Nitram, John Egbert/Dirk Strider, John Egbert/Vriska Serket, Karkat Vantas/Vriska Serket, Vriska Serket/Terezi Pyrope, to be added
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	1. Impulse Decision

**Author's Note:**

> i have no clue. what i am doing.  
> ok so. i’m kind of just posting for the first time? don’t be too hard on me please lmao.  
> i have no clue how to format the pesterlogs, i apologize, but i’ve heard it’s a PITA and it seems tedious. whatever i write this and copy and paste it here later anyway  
> this WILL be completed, even if i take long breaks. i promise y’all. anyway. read.  
> also! relationships probably won’t happen until later. vriska’s birthday is the same as john’s, and i feel it’s important to note that there’s gonna be gore, blood, and body horror. if this bothers you, please don’t read.

_Itching, itching, itching._

That’s all her skin feels. Itching, itching, she needs to get it off. Her claws scratch at the skin, each six of newfound limbs scratching. The world was spinning, each one of her eyes, each of the awful colors shining through the cluster across her face. Her horn itches, she needs to scratch. Oh, it fell off. How peculiar. Her hair was webbed, patterned, silk. Sticky. Intoxicating. She hated it. Soaked stitches kept her head and body attached, and it hurts.

It hurts, but most of all, it itches. _Itching, itching, itching_. It hurts, so badly. It itches so badly. Six clawed paws scratched and tore away at skin, blue blood flooding down and staining what remained of her clothes.

Is this what it was like, for them too? For her... _friends_ , she believes? Is this what it was like, for each of them, mutated and horribly disfigured, forever in pain? She’s dizzy, and everything hurts.

She groaned as her vision slowed. It went from pictures to faster moving ones, until finally she was in real time. Her lusus leaned over her, watching. Eyes wide, fascinated, glued to her every movement. Vriska stared back, pushing herself to her... feet? They felt like paws. The claws dug to the ground of the lab.

That’s where she was? Right. The transmutation lab. It had just happened. She had been torn apart, skinned, broken. Her ribcage angled painfully to her stomach in this new position. Her lusus simply rolled her eyes as remains of bile and blood flooded from Vriska’s mouth.

“Stop it, brat.” Said her lusus, and up she stood, stopping she did. “I know it hurts, so I won’t hear that shit. We go back hive, and you will get your... _reward_. Your presents await.”

Vriska shakily stood straight up, before hunching back over. Half of her many eyes were closed as a hand came to shield them. A scoff was heard from her lusus, and Vriska stumbled forwards. Her lowest pair of arms were holding to her hip, her middle pair crossed, and her top pair scratching and shielding.

“Disgusting,” Spidermom hissed. Vriska wasn’t paying attention, walking on autopilot. Her mind wandered as they travelled back hive. That’s where they were going, right? Her head still hurts like ever loving fuck.

Is this what it was like? She had asked it a million times.

Karkat had grown a pair of legs between his torso, antennae, claws of a pinchbeast. She remembers his sobbing when he came to her, the blood, his mutant candy red a solid trail from where he trudged through the land, to her hive. Up the stairs, bloody handprints across the side. He wouldn’t stop crying, or bleeding. His eyes had been so bloodshot, so scared. So horrified, as much as she was. He didn’t lose his entire mind, but he’s not himself. His body is destroyed from his own harm. Long nights of screeching and red tears, pinches of chitin skin bleeding.

She figures she should stop scratching now.

Tavros had done most of the damage to himself. He sobbed as much as Karkat, but had laughed all the while. Bitterness had taken the sweet boy she knew, his blood pusher turned corrupted and black. He ripped off his own horns, broke his bones, anything he could. He had attacked everybody, even Vriska. He had settled, eventually. His moves had become silent, his control lost as well. He ripped off his own nose, clawed off his left eye, broke his tail multiple times. His cloven feet were always dirty and bloody, back then. He was one of the most sane left, but overcome with rage, to put easily. He snarled and attacked anybody who dare come near. Nobody has seen him for perigees, except for Vriska and his matesprite, Gamzee.

Gamzee. Gamzee suffered for them all, had put up a fight. Almost died on the overdose of drugs to keep him sedated during his transmutation. The fun, sopor loving goofball he once was had been replaced by a bloodthirsty monster after that. Tavros once described him as a chupacabra, a blood-sucking creature. The fins of a fish, the features of a goat, the glare of the deadliest creature upon the galaxy. His horns were always covered in the blood of his victims, his signature waterproof face paint visible all of the time, even if he lurked in the swamps with the cholerbears. Even _cholerbears_ were scared of him, really. He had lost his mind easily. Cackles and growls, and only Tavros can keep him under control. Vriska has been around shen they killed a victim, and the experience was something similar to a science schoolfeed, dissection and dismemberment. Vriska still sometimes hears the blood curdling screams.

Terezi. Oh, poor Terezi was the most devastating. She had gone insane, her personality twisted. She constantly laughed, cackled, howled with sick joy. Her dragon-like appearance was terrifying, rows of teeth and glowing red eyes that could pierce through steel. Her wings would flap, tail would slam against things, and her snarls would interrupt her laughter, spitting up bile and her own teal blood. Her hive was destroyed, by herself even. Vriska missed her the most. Terezi was her only lifeline, and now, the Terezi she fell in love with was long dead.

Vriska wishes that she were dead as well.

She realized she was at her door. That’s right, she just dropped off Spidermom.

She should go inside, before the sun rises.

As she left it, everything was a scattered mess. She saw her claw marks on the ground, as Spidermom dragged her out of her hive for her transmutation. Even her tears remained on the ground, as blood and vomit had surrounded it.

No matter, it was almost morning. She walked back to her coonblock, holding to every wall to stop from collapsing. The pain was near gone, on the physical level.

Mentally, she wasn’t so sure. Her block was just how she left it at sundown. Three boxes were in the middle, not there before. Her presents, right.

The first box opened easy enough. Inside was a hoodie, six sleeves for each of her arms. It was pitch black, a heart stitched onto the front in rainbow thread. She dug further, pulling out a pair of boots. This was probably a box of clothes, and judging from her friends, it was Kanaya that sent it. The boots were also pitch black, spiked, and punk.

Alright, Kanaya, you did a damn well job. This is definitely her style. She promptly ignored the note on the bottom, written in jade pen, her friend didn’t write that.

The monster in her skin did.

She opened the second box, which had been just cardboard with marker, “From Karkat” sloppily written on the front. Inside she found... supplies? Specific candy bars, medicine, medical tape, bandages... neatly put in, next to bottles of water. There was a crumpled note hidden underneath the flap of the cardboard.

_Serket, I’m going to miss you._

_I know you will stay alive, you’re not going to be culled or something other musclebeast shit. You’re just going to be transmutated, and we all lose ourselves to it._

_I packed a care package. Not the best present, I know, but appreciate it anyway. It should last you roughly two perigees. Terezi demanded that it was that long before she was transmutated, and I don’t know why. She never said shit about it._

_Happy Wriggling Day, Vriska._

_Pity (please don’t), Vantas_

There was other written things on the bottom. Crabdad’s messy, illegible handwriting, for everybody except for Karkat.

But her eyes kept wandering back to Terezi’s name.

She had demanded this package be made for her on her transmutation? Why would she need a care package?

Hesitantly, Vriska leaned back over to Kanaya’s gift, and picked up the note. It was some of the same, though invited her happily to being a transmutant abomination. But it mentioned Terezi too. Only then did she realize the note was on top of a white shirt. She picked it up, and looked it over.

It was plain white except for a pattern in the middle. It had darkened, but it definitely was Kanaya’s jade blood. It was shaped like some sort of slug, a smiling face on it.

She lightly set it down and stared over to her husktop. She could message Terezi, ask her what this means, but is reminded of her current state. She sighs, looks back to the two boxes, and then reaches for the last one, the tiniest of them. There’s spiderweb print wrapping paper tossed behind her as she opens it with her claw.

Inside of the tiny box, she sees...

she sees...

Pyralspite.

Dirty, missing a patch of fluff, and a teal stain painting the tail and back, but Pyralspite.

Cautiously, very carefully, Vriska holds the dragon doll up to confirm it. It stares lifelessly as she moves it to see it in its entirety.

When did she start sobbing? The doll was held closely, a death grip of a hug. Tears wouldn’t stop running from her many eyes. The note taped to the back of his head was ripped off and hastily read.

_Hey Mindfang, If you’re reading this, you’re probably already transmutated._

_If you’re wondering, I’ve written this before my wriggling day. So I might not be the same for you now, I guess. I know it’ll hurt like hell, but trust me. I have a plan. You know how me and the cool kid online have established ourselves as different species? Well, he actually is! I thought he was fucking with us. Anyway, as a Seer descent-_

Vriska had to stop and rub away tears streaming down her face. After a moment she went back to reading.

- _I can see a bit of the future. Or, one of them. Anyway, this timeline needs to follow something extreme so it’ll be filled._

_You must contact John Egbert. His handle is ectoBiologist. He is a human from Earth, who has also had his friends transmutated. You will travel to him by ship, which I have added a map to on this paper. The things you were given were given for a reason. This is all I have to do to lead you to the correct timeline._

_I promise, it’ll be all okay in the end. I can’t tell you further. What I can say, though, is how much I’m gonna miss you. So badly!_

_Pity, Terezi_

_PS: Take good care of Pyralspite. I trust you to take good care of her!_

Vriska wiped away the tears in her eyes as she stood up fast, walking over to her husktop. She grabbed it with her middle pair of arms, her top pair opening it to Trollian. She sat back down, lowest pair of arms holding her up as she leaned back, middle pair placing it on her crossed legs.

She opened a new chat, entering the handle ectoBiologist.

It opened quickly, the blue name online.

AG: Hello.

She entered her text and waited. Minutes passed and no reply, but finally, a blue text lights the screen back up.

EB: who are you?

AG: You can read my handle again. I’m Vriska, Terezi’s friend. ::::)

EB: oh.

EB: terezi.

AG: Yes?

EB: dave never was the same after she reached her transmutation...

EB: so how are you?

AG: I’m not gr8. Today is my 8irthday, as you’d call it.

EB: oh...

EB: are you hiding, too?

AG: I couldn’t. My lusus forced me to go at the asscrack of dusk.

EB: i won’t become one of you!

She was taken back a bit by the suddenly snappy response. She raised her four hands for a moment before going back to typing.

AG: What?

EB: don’t play stupid.

AG: Are you not transmutated yet?

EB: what do you think?

AG: Oh my Gog.

EB: what?

AG: I’m not like them.

AG: Everyone else has lost their minds.

AG: I’m not a sincere troll, but I’m 8eing honest. Karkat, Terezi, Gamzee, even Tavros are not who they were 8efore.

AG: Please listen to me. I’m not shitting you.

He seemed to be replying, the typing icon for a few moments, but then was deleted, and typed again.

EB: okay.

AG: I’m an alien. All of the people I mentioned are. We transmutate too. Our world is very dull, much like yours. I’m going to change that. I am going to leave to travel to your planet 8y morning. It will take two perigees.

EB: perigees?

AG: Shit. I think Terezi once mentioned that it’s called a “month” for humans. Two months.

EB: of course it couldn’t be quicker.

AG: Can you survive for that long?

EB: of course i can! i was a boy scout and jade taught me how to use a gun!

AG: Good. Then do it. I’d prefer if you message me, 8ut I can deal if you can’t do that. I’m fucking scar8d, John. Nobody is left to mock me for 8eing w88k n8w and I’m so terrifi8d and scar8d I want to go back to when it was n8rmal 8nd 8...

AG: Sorry.

EB: its okay, i’m scared too

EB: i’ve been hiding from my dad. he wants to get me downstairs to catch me. he almost got me, too

EB: i can make an escape plan

EB: okay?

AG: I will arrive in two months. You will find me at a landmark, by the range of Cascade and water above sea level.

EB: what?

AG: Good8ye.

Vriska shut her husktop and put it on the ground. Standing up, she pulled back the curtains slightly, the green sun making her hiss and click. Shutting it again with one hand, her other five tapping idly at her sides. She needs to read that map, she knows, but by now, she knows that she can’t go out and risk being culled.

Quickly, she gathers the box of clothing, among her own clothing. She steps away and walks to her ablutionblock, stepping in sideways, facing the opposite of the mirror. She sighs heavily as she mentally prepares herself. It’s okay, it’s okay. Your new appearance shouldn’t be too horrifying.

She takes off her remaining clothes, left in nothing but her spider patterned boxers. Then, carefully, she turns around, eyes screwed shut.

And opens them.

It wasn’t... quite as horrifying as she had expected. Her long, once pure black hair had become webs at the ends, slightly sticky and light. Across her face, there were a mix of eyes, counting up to 11, her normal eyes still in place, and one seven pupilled. She turned slightly, lifting each of her six arms, looking to her sides. They had rigid bumps, almost like chitin, and her spine was lined the same way. There were plates and things resembling scales across her skin, which had turned black in some places, speckled with white. Her arms had an odd texture near the wrist, something resembling mammalian hair along them, a silky white. It lined down her legs, which had completely resembled that of a spider as of now, massive paws as her feet, lined with claws. Her lower back had her spine protruding, turning black above the tailbone, as it had stretched and turned to a scorpion’s tail. Mandibles were at the side of her mouth, her ears now long and white and one of her horns missing.

“Wow,” She breathed to herself, moving and twisting to see herself. Surprisingly, besides the ones on her neck and spine, there were hardly any stitches. Her skin was rough and flaky, textured like the skin of a rough fruit. She ran a clawed hand through her hair, shaking it as loose webs stick to her fingertips. “Gross. But nobody will recognize me now.”

Vriska picked up a picture she had framed of herself and all of her friends when they were only 5 sweeps old each. Before she could think about how she missed them, she slammed it down, the glass shattering across the counter and the floor. Ignoring the blood trickling from her hand, she picked up a big shard of glass, and swiftly cut.

Her hair fell down, the black of her hair slowly turning to webs as it was cut off. She threw the glass shard carelessly behind her, looking at her reflection again. She grabbed the box of clothes, putting on the shirt (after a lot of struggle of how to put each arm in their short sleeves) and then the hoodie. Thankfully, the hood already had holes for her horns, as she pulled it over herself. She grabbed one of her pairs of jeans, swiftly cutting it as well to shorts, as she pulled on her spider web printed knee-high socks and spiked pleather boots (while silently thanking Kanaya for making them in shape of her paws).

Looking back to the mirror, the only thing that made her truly recognizable now was her 7 pupilled eye.

She picked up a scrap of black cloth, stretching it around her head as a makeshift eyepatch. With two bloodied fingers, she marked an infinity sign with her own blood.

Unrecognizable.

Racing back to her coonblock, Vriska grabbed her old backpack from schoolfeeding days, and thanked her younger self for managing to keep it under no damage for this long.

She shoved a small list of things into it - her magic 8 ball, a notebook, a box of colored pencils along with a normal one and sharpener, her box of 8-sided dice, her Fiduspawn deck from Tavros, spare water and food for emergency, a medkit she stole from Eridan, and a 6-pack of TaB! brand soda.

Finally, she lightly placed Pyralspite inside, zipping it up fully. She put it on her back after many failed attempts, and grabbed her fluffy black blanket, tying it around her neck in a fashion similar to a cloak.

All she had to do now was follow the map and bring the supply box with her.

She pulled out Terezi’s note, turning it to the back. It was messily drawn, colored scribbles indicating each landmark. About a day and a night of traveling by foot, it seemed, but it was under the shaded forest where the sun wouldn’t shine much, and her skin wouldn’t burn. It was about seven hours to sundown.

Nothing to do now, but travel forwards.


	2. Petrified of Circumstances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think it’s important to note that everyone is a little ooc, but for important reasons. john is more of an angry person, because he’s absolutely terrified. vriska is more depressed, because she never did the things she did in canon such as making terezi blind or paralyzing tavros, and shes, well, also fucking terrified. everybody in this fic is genuinely horrified, but they show it differently.  
> anyway. i have no posting schedule, this is just coincidence i post on the same day? lmao  
> if you’re here for a ship other than pale vrisjohn, i’m gonna warn you now, everything else is merely mentioned/an old plot

The door slammed shut, panting as the only sound in the room. Many things fell at once, and hurried movements to barricade the door and window were quickly put up.

“John, I don’t want to hurt you,” Dad’s voice rang from behind the door.

“Then don’t!”

“You have to come out eventually, and when you do, we’ll go right downtown and have it done. I promise it won’t hurt too badly, and your presents will be worth it!”

“Bullshit!”

John sat himself down as he finished his barricades. His dad wouldn’t break down the door, or the window, but he would try to coax him out. His so called friends would try to break in, too. He couldn’t risk that.

He had his weapons on the ready. Knives, hammers, anything he could grab from the garage. His food and water supply was put to the side, a ration note for himself. It doesn’t matter, they’re edible, even if he hates the food he got. He had simply grabbed a certain number of things out of the pantry and booked it back to his room. It doesn’t matter if he hated the drinks, either. Warm soda and cold single serve mac-n-cheese was better than nothing.

“John, you’re making this _so much_ harder than it needs to be,” His dad said finally, making John jump. He quickly spun back to the door.

“I don’t care.”

“John... you can’t live like this. Other people will have to come and take you.”

“I don’t care! You can’t make me!”

“Who put it in your head that transmutation is a bad thing?”

“Literally anybody who is sane knows it’s fucking _awful_! Leave me the fuck alone, Dad.”

“John-“

“No! Fuck you!”

There was a heavy sigh, and the sound of footsteps as his father walked away. Good. The battle was won for today.

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

Just then, his phone went off with a notification.

— turntechGodhead began pestering ectoBiologist —

TG: sup

Oh, no. Oh _fuck no._

EB: fuck you.

TG: woah

TG: what did i do man

TG: all i said was sup

TG: whats got you pissed

EB: fuck off.

TG: ok man jesus

TG: at least tell me what i did wrong

EB: you turned 13.

TG: oh

TG: of course thats what this is about

EB: of course it is!

EB: dave, i’m not doing it.

EB: i won’t become like any of you.

TG: i remember fighting it too john

TG: the sooner you embrace it the better

EB: bullshit!

TG: i dont want this to be the case any more than you do man

TG: but its life and you just gotta deal

TG: caw

EB: fuck you.

— ectoBiologist has blocked turntechGodhead —

Fuck. He didn’t need a birdbrain on his ass for the next two months. One that he crushed on, too. This was going to be hell.

There was always the chance that Vriska was running a trap, of course. John still doesn’t trust her _entirely_ , but she’s the best chance he’s got away from this hell hole. She’s probably no alien, that was just bullshit that Dave would squawk about when he was talking with Terezi, like a little schoolgirl and her crush. Whatever helps the two cope with their situation, he guesses.

— tentacleTherapist began pestering ectoBiologist —

TT: Did you block Dave?

Fuck.

— ectoBiologist has blocked tentacleTherapist —

Nobody to talk to. He was going to go fucking insane.

Standing up shakily, he looked around his room. His eyes darted to his bookshelf-dresser, that god damned birthday cake on the top with a half drank glass of milk. It was drugged, of course. The cake probably was, too. Even if it wasn’t, he wasn’t going to risk it.

He picked up his notebook and a pen. It wasn’t much, but maybe he could write something to pass the time. His self hatred filled some pages, scribbled expressions of his worst nights and dreams. Doodles of his friends, notes to himself, movie quotes...

When did he draw this? It looks like... him and Dave’s...

AG: John.

He dropped his book immediately and pulled out his phone.

EB: vriska!

AG: I’m sorry.

EB: what? why??

AG: I forgot my manners earlier.

EB: seriously? you scared the shit out of me for that?

AG: I have changed a 8it of the plan.

EB: oh! nevermind! how so

AG: It will now take a8out a month and a half

Before John could reply, he heard incessant tapping at his window. Looking over, he saw a familiar tentacle vine covered in bloodied spikes and flowers. He would’ve been worried, but he had a bottle of weed killer ready for this exact reason. Cruel, but efficient.

He forgot she was in Washington with her cousin, Roxy.

“Joooohn!” Rose’s voice happily chirped from outside.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Rose.” John shakily replied.

“No need to, silly! I just came to talk to you!”

“Get back.” John stepped forwards. The tapping turned to a slow scratch across the siding.

“You shouldn’t be so scared, John! It’s truly a wonderful experience! And with the right painkiller, you won’t feel a thing! I promise!”

John stepped forward again and held the bottle into view. At this, Rose’s vines seemed to flinch and slithered back.

“John, don’t spray me with that! It’s mean! Just imagine how angry Jade would be.” Rose trailed off, her friendly purr slipping into something more of a disturbed growl. John simply shook the bottle.

“Fine, fine. I’ll come back after you’ve calmed down a little!” And with that, she was off. God damnit. She’ll be back in 30 minutes at the most, the impatient girl can’t wait for shit.

He needed to leave where nobody can find him. He can’t barricade forever. Where did Vriska say she would meet him? He read over her message, over and over. He wasn’t getting it. Why so cryptic? Maybe he’d figure it out while he travelled.

He wasn’t sure how long it had been after he had finished packing his Squiddle briefcase. He remembers using it for all of the moving since Jade gifted it to him.

He misses her, so fucking badly.

The knocking at his window reminds him that he needs to get a move on, however. No matter how his heart pounded. He needed to escape.

And this time, it won’t be by killing himself. It’ll be by killing who he needs out of his way.

Starting with his own father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m sorry dadbert. it’s nothing personal


	3. Outside Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks y’all! i’m surprised anyone actually reads this shit?? lmao. i promise this story is going somewhere, just stay buckled in. right now i’m working up parts of the story. spider8itch is coming next chapter dw
> 
> also i’m sorry chapters are short

He trudged through the suburbs with his suitcase covered in squiddles. He was stared at, by almost everyone along the streets, but he couldn’t care less about them. He had his focus on three specific people, if they appeared.

The blood on his hands were turning brown, long since dried. Tear streaks down the boy’s tan cheeks almost covered his freckles entirely.

“Little boy, where is your mother?” A voice behind him rang.

“I don’t have one.” John replied flatly, before turning to see the stranger.

They seemed... oddly cheery for such a dark transmutation. He was tall and lanky, a green skull helmet covering his head, green skeletal forelimbs and messy green clothes. Patterns flashed consistently over his eyes and neck.

“Are you lost?” He asked worriedly, somewhat of an English accent laced through his voice.

“No.” John continued walking despite the man following him. He had hammers if he needed them.

Hopefully he won’t.

“Slow down, kiddo,” The man behind him laughed anxiously. “I know I’m a stranger, and you’re not transmutated, but I’m not after you to hurt you.”

John simply gave him the finger as he kept walking forward.

But the man kept following.

Finally, after what feels like an hour of walking, John abruptly stopped on the dirt trail, the man behind him being cut off from whatever he was talking about into a small “ _oomf_ ”.

“What’s your _problem_? You’re creeping me out. I know how to use a gun and I have a weapon for self defense at all times.”

The man seemed a bit surprised, then chuckled lightly. “I’m just trying to make sure you’re okay!”

John cut him off by holding his hammer in an aggressive stance. He darted his eyes away from the blood that still remained on it. “Bullshit. Tell me the truth.”

The man finally sighed, dropping his hands down to his sides. “John, it’s me. Jake English? Jade’s cousin. I know we’ve never met, but Jade was worried sick about you. She wanted me to follow you, make sure you were okay.”

John raised an eyebrow. Last he had talked to Jade, she had almost blown up his computer with her anger, why would she care suddenly? Jake had always seemed like a friendly guy, from what he had heard, but would never go to such lengths, even for _her_.

Unless, he was sent for a specific purpose.

He was Dave’s brother’s boyfriend, he knew that. If Dave told him about John’s plans of leaving the city...

Fuck!

“What was yesterday?” John snapped. Jake looked up for a moment before muttering an answer.

“Your 13th birthday?”

John’s blood went cold.

Quickly, he slammed into Jake’s head with the blunt end of the hammer, cracking his helmet and revealing green tar. He slammed again, then took his hammer and his suitcase, and ran to the most random location he could. Maybe the cave in the nearby mountains, it was a tourist attraction but he could find a spot.

He booked it, running into the forest nearby. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He’s being tracked.

As if he needed confirmation, his phone started going off.

— gardenGnostic began pestering ectoBiologist —

GG: john!

GG: what the fuck are you doing???

GG: don’t you fucking ignore me. i can see you ignoring me!!

GG: i’ll blow up this fucking phone!!!

GG: answer me you piece of shit!!!

John finally pulled out his phone, and hastily typed his replies.

EB: jade, i’m so sorry

GG: oh! no worries!!

GG: you kill the closest to a human dad i have but it’s okay because you’re fucking sorry!!!

EB: jade

GG: i’ll fucking kill you!!

His phone started sparking with familiar green static. _Shit_.

EB: jade!

EB: listen to me!

The typing abruptly stopped along with the static. Another moment passed before she finally replied.

GG: you get two minutes before i get over there.

EB: jade, our world is fucked

EB: i’ve been looking into our situation. there’s nothing we can do

EB: we’re stuck, eternally, in a world that loves the death and misery of its inhabitants

EB: i’m so sorry, jade. i’m sorry we live in this hell

EB: but i’m trying to make it better

EB: i want to start over. create a new society, a new world

John finally sat down. He’d been running for so long, and he finally got to a corner of that cave.His feet hurt, and his legs are sore.

EB: we’re so fucked up now

EB: we think it’s necessary to kill, to mutilate

EB: and now two men have died to my hands

EB: i’m becoming like them and i

Before he could finish typing, his phone properly exploded.

 _What_.

Neon green eyes stared at him and static filled the air. Ah. She did come after all. Ears pinned back and tail between her legs, she takes a deep breath.

“John, you’re the _stupidest_ kid I’ve ever met,” she says, her third arm resting her hand against John’s shoulder.

“But I’m going to help, whether you want me or not.”

John opened his mouth to respond, but all that came out was a strangled sound of agony.

“Oh, yeah, hehe, you have bits of your phone in your leg. I’m not _really_ that sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jade is a bit of a dick ain’t she? oh well she gets nicer later on.  
> also i promise i like dadbert and jake they’re only for plot purposes here
> 
> also. my art page on instagram is @fox_boy.exe ik y’all don’t care but i’m self promoting anyway!


	4. History Lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i forgot that i’m alive lol

“I’m so sorry, Karkat.”

Karkat said nothing as he continued walking, his cultist cloak dragging behind him and sickles in each hand. Vriska followed with her dark blanket wrapped around her, all six hands fidgeting nervously.

They only had gotten a third of the way to their destination while John must’ve gotten himself to safety. Vriska hasn’t contacted him, though, so who could know?

“Vriska?” Karkat gruffly asked, voice edged with _something_ she couldn’t quite place.

“Yeah...?”

“When you get to the ship, I... promise me you won’t abandon me.”

Vriska tilted her head slightly. He had gotten less rough and angry and more somber as perigees passed, but he still never expressed his wishes very easily.

 _That edge in his voice,_ Vriska recognized, _is that of someone about to break_.

“Of course, I wouldn’t... I couldn’t...”

“Please, Vriska. I’m grossly smearing quadrants to ask you this. Please, don’t abandon us. Don’t forget me.”

Vriska stopped him to take his face in her hands, seeing the red shine in Karkat’s eyes.

“Karkat. You don’t need to be my moirail to express yourself, you fucking idiot.” She said, instead of _gog fucking damnit we’ve been over this a million times Karkat._

“I know, but...” He softly responded. Vriska simply shooshed him, despite the conversation matter.

“I won’t forget you, Karkat. I promise. I’ll never forget any of you.”

_But you all will forget me, one day._

“I’ve lost everybody. I lost all of my friends, I lost my life, and... I lost Dayvhe. I don’t want to lose you too, Vriska. You’re insufferable, I hate you with my entire blood pusher...” He trailed off as he leaned into the embrace Vriska offered. She smiled sadly at the boy in her arms.

“I hate you too, shitface.”

“Sorry to break up the spades fest and-or pale pile, but you’re on my territory.”

Both of them jumped back, heads spinning over to the source of the voice. Tavros stood there, his arms crossed and an irritated look across his face.

“Oh, shit, sorry...” Karkat meekly replied, wiggling out of Vriska’s arms.

“You’re pathetic... both of you.” Tavros stated, unconsciously scratching at the base of what used to be a full grown horn. His nose (or rather, _lack_ of one, since he had ripped it off long ago) twitched as he looked over at Vriska. “What do you want?”

“We’re just going somewhere, jeez.” Vriska replied, trying to kick up her spunk again. Tavros became an unstable asshole after he transmutated, and he particularly hated when people showed any weakness.

How the tables have turned, she muses.

“Then you’d better keep moving, spiderbitch. I’m not in the mood for guests.”

“Tavbro, chill. They ain’t hurting nobody.” Gamzee’s scratchy voice came from behind Vriska and Karkat, making them jump again and look back. He was laying his head down in his arms as the rest of his body was under the water. A disturbing violet and fuschia covered his horns in stripes, also marked on his face as two tear marks.

“Gamzee?” Karkat croaked, a laugh coming from the troll addressed.

“Sup, Karbro?” He responded easily, the red of his sclera fading back to orange. “Teresis let me know you’d up and be here around this motherfucking time. I’m not exactly sure what she wanted, but I don’t want to up and piss her off. Motherfucking scary, she is.”

Vriska spoke up. “Did she say anything else?”

“Yeah, Vris-sis. Wanted me to get you a motherfucking ride, so you could get to a ship-type thing, I think. I wasn’t really motherfucking listening, you hearin me?”

“And...?”

“So I did. Crashed a ship full of royalty, motherfuckers didn’t stand a chance. Guess I’m a good singer.” Gamzee shrugged easily, now laying on his back on the water.

Right. Kanaya called him a Siren once, a creature that sings and lures sailors to their death. That would explain his current Cheshire Meowbeast patterned horns... he definitely had the grin of one.

“Alright, so you’re taking them there?” Tavros asked, hands on his hips with an annoyed tapping of his hooves.

“Yeah, call me the Batterwitch, I’ll lead the motherfucking way.” Gamzee said simply, droopy eyes drifting towards Vriska and Karkat. “Even gotcha a gift, Vris-sis, Karbro.”

“Thanks, Gamzee, I’ll throw it away the second I get there.” Vriska rolled her many eyes at the troll, as he snickered a bit.

“I expect nothing less, sister.” He said simply, motioning an arm to his left. “C’mon. I can tell you a wicked story while we move along.”

And so, he did.

_“Y’see, our ancestors had some wicked powers too, besides what their caste up and limited them to in schoolfeed history books. The motherfuckers were a lot stronger than they want you to think. When fishbitch decided to conquer more, the Helmsman was related to a few motherfuckers in his quadrants. The Seer, the Thief, the Heir, and the Knight. Though there were so many - a motherfucking bunch, I can’t even list them all - these were the more... important motherfuckers, at least to the story currently._

_The Knight was definitely made of the entire red shade. Blood and Time were his motherfucking specialties, though he had a whole list. The Blood side of him was a lover, up and motherfucking needy and soft, but tough ass looks and attitude. The Time was similar, but Time wasn’t part of the Blood’s past. The parts met through... long ass motherfucking circumstances. The Knight swore one day that the world will be saved by a lover, or some wicked shit like that, and they’d live into a life with each other, red, black, and pale all inside of one, with the Heir._

_The Heir was made of a miraculous element named Breath. A deep, wonderful blue, they said. The Heir was an alien, foretold to have wicked different structure. Either way, he was a savior of sorts. It’s said in another universe, time wise, that he ended and created the world with his bare motherfucking hands. I digress, as Kansis would say... he was a motherfucking player, apparently. He was with both parts of the Knight in red, and the Thief in pale._

_The Thief was said to be... misunderstood, in ways? To commit sins against trollkind, or some bullshit. Wicked witch, she was. Did a lotta bad shit, but, she was a good person, if she really opened herself up. Could be said for a lot of motherfuckers, really. She’s either loved or hated. She had the Blood of the Knight in black, the Heir in pale, and the Mind of the Seer in red._

_The Seer also had two parts of herself, much like the Knight. The motherfucker behind all this likes complicated shit, I guess. The Mind of the Seer and the Light. The Light was... something similar to cahoots with the Time of the Knight. It’s hard to up and motherfucking explain. The Mind of the Seer, though... she was of the darkest of red and pale with the Thief. The Thief’s Light kept her focused and calm, and in return, the Mind of the Seer kept the Thief safe from harm, even if it meant getting down and making hard ass decisions._

_As I up and said earlier, there were plenty more. There was the Bard, for one. Sang of pure motherfucking rage, enough to destroy entire motherfucking worlds, but I’m just bragging, since I’m a direct descendant._

_Descendants... that’s where this all motherfucking comes down to. The descents of the Seers are a guide, a treasure. Miraculous things can happen with ‘em. There was a prophecy, or some shit, about the Heir and the Thief, saving the entirety of a motherfucking universe, by leaving it behind. The Heir and the Prince would be the saviors, or some other shit. I never paid much attention to the story._

_Oh, wouldn’t ya look at that? We’re here, motherfuckers.”_

The wrecked ship stood in front of the three trolls, splattered in various blood colors and painted pictures across its sides. There was a headpiece still fully in tact, though.

Mindfang’s bust, carved in what must be copper, was at the head of the ship. It was slightly painted, black on the outfit and hook. The eyes shined her blood caste.

Karkat and Vriska both stepped inside of the widely scratched open side, ankle deep in water. Across it were multiple corpses of what must’ve once been trolls, mutilated and eviscerated far beyond help. Broken bones, torn bodies, ripped flesh... what must’ve been the result of Gamzee’s pure, insatiable bloodlust.

“I’m not helping you guys further, you’re on your motherfucking own. I’ll wait around here for you, Karbro. My gift is in the deck in the chest, next to the boxes of... whatever the motherfuck they had.” Gamzee spoke, his red eyes almost glowing in the darkness. Karkat nodded as Vriska followed his instructions on where to go.

Simple enough to find, a chest lay in the middle of broken beds and a psionic’s corpse. Sure enough, inside was a strife deck, but she still didn’t expect what was there.

Gamzee’s old horn pile, packed into one, overflowing little card. She grabbed one out, giving it a squeeze, a rusty honk filling the air.

She shouldn’t have been this touched, really. It’s just a gift, of a friend she may never see again. _Of an old hatecrush she never really got over._

Fuck, pirates don’t cry, cut that shit out.

Turning around, she caught sight of a familiar three figures, stacked in a pile. There was a note next to it, crinkled and dusty, although damp.

HOP3 YOU DON’T M1ND 1F 1 L34V3 TH3 FOR3NS1CS CR3W W1TH YOU >:]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear gamzee has a much bigger role. also another vriska chapter next time


End file.
